


Silver Lining

by DiamondsxStags



Series: Darling Inquisitor: Inquisitors And Their Loves [1]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, I have a lot of Dragon Age feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-24
Updated: 2016-08-24
Packaged: 2018-08-10 18:45:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7856911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DiamondsxStags/pseuds/DiamondsxStags
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If it wasn't for Cullen, Reinette would've walked away from the Inquisition already.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Silver Lining

**Author's Note:**

> i have no excuse for this i just really want to write thise ok leave me be

Reinette had always known what kind of person she was. She was selfish, arrogant, impatient, never took the blame for anything, and was more than a touch manipulative. Everyone around her only existed to amuse her or get her from Point A to Point B. If they happened to do both, Reinette would take them to her bed and keep them around until they had outlived their usefulness. Then they were promptly replaced, like a piece of clothing that had gone out of fashion. Fundamentally, Reinette was not a good person, and she had always reveled in that. She found that life was much more fun when you didn't worry about things like morality and ethics and the opinions of others and just did what made you happy. The only one who had the authority was the Maker and he had seemed perfectly content to let her carry on the way she always had.

And then she went and got herself a glowing green mark on her hand.

Now, for some reason, people were looking to her for guidance and viewed her as some kind of paragon of virtue. The Herald of Andraste. While Reinette had always been rather fond of Andraste, she had even wanted to become a Chantry sister and dreamed of becoming the second Andraste when she was a little girl, she had never imagined being her herald. She had never imagined being a herald of anything, except for perhaps amorality, or roguishness, or con artists. Things she was good at doing, good at being. Not some kind of agent for a force of good.

Everywhere she went, she heard others whisper about they wished they had been chosen by Andraste and blessed with the Mark. Every time she heard something like that, she wanted to scream. If she could, she would cut off the flesh of her hand, Mark and all, and give it to whomever had wished for it. She would even cut her whole hand off.  _"Take it then!"_ She would yell.  _"I never asked for this!"_

To say that Reinette felt out of place and a little sour would be an understatement. The only thing, or rather the only person, that made the whole endeavour worthwhile for her was Cullen.

The second Reinette laid eyes on him, she knew she had to have him. And what Reinette wanted to have, she generally got. So she spent most of her time with Cullen, flirting and taking his advice at the war table (why was she the one who had to make the decisions anyway? surely someone else could do it for her?), and generally doing whatever she could to make him blush and get all flustered for her own amusement. And it was rather amusing. Reinette quickly learned that Cullen blushed very easily and he could be relied upon to trip over his words if the right things were said in the right way. It was almost too easy and if Reinette hadn't known any better, she would've guessed that Cullen was playing her as much as she was playing him. But she had gotten to know him and knew that that wasn't a possibility. Cullen was one of those Good Men people always talked about, the kind her father (Maker bless his soul) wanted her to marry. The kind she never would marry. Because Good Men do not marry women like Reinette. Good Men do not marry women with tongues sharper than their swords. Good Men do not marry women who have taken dozens of men, from the Free Marches to Orlais, into her bed. Good Men do not marry women addicted to thrill and excitement.

But there was no harm in having fun was there?

"The troops are certainly looking good Cullen." Reinette said, as she watched the men and women who had sworn their fealty and swords to the Inquisition train just outside of Haven's gates.

"Well, they have improved at least." Cullen agreed, giving Reinette a smile that was shy and almost boyish in nature. "But there's still a long road ahead."

"Must you always ruin the moment?" Reinette teased, raising an eyebrow and gently nudging Cullen in the arm with her elbow. "Come on, look at them! Surely you must feel some pride?"

Cullen laughed, a sound Reinette strangely enjoyed, and his smile got a little wider and more confident. "I suppose so. But it wasn't just me, Blackwall helped too."

Reinette looked over at the recently recruited Grey Warden as he drilled the newer recruits. Had she not already set her sights on Cullen, she may have decided to play around with Blackwall. But there was something she couldn't quiet put her finger on when it came to Blackwall. He was a capable fighter, and already proved himself to be loyal, but Reinette couldn't shake the feeling that there was something he was hiding. But perhaps it's all in her head, everyone has their secrets after all.

"I'm glad to hear that." She said, putting on her best impression of a sincerity. "Does that mean our dear Lord Commander has a moment to spare?" Reinette leaned against a tree, back flat on the trunk as she casually put her long legs and ample chest on display. Or as big of a display as she could in all of her layers. Not for the first time, she cursed Haven's poor weather.

"Do you need something?" The sudden change in Cullen from casual to all business almost made Reinette laugh, but she settled on a smile.

"Oh yes." She said, cocking her head to the side. "I'm terribly bored and in desperate need of companionship." Her smile turned fox like and she took a step toward Cullen, resting a hand on his forearm. "Would you care to relieve me of this problem?" She quirked an eyebrow slightly and the corners of her mouth twitched.

Just as she had come to expect, Cullen blushed. "I-Well I uh..." He quickly cleared his throat. "Thank you for the offer, but I'm afraid I must tend to the troops. Perhaps Varric could help you? I imagine he would only be too happy to tell one his stories." Without waiting for a reply, Cullen quickly strode over to the troops, yelling out orders.

Reinette frowned. Once again, she had been turned away. This was getting very odd. She knew that Cullen liked her well enough to not make flimsy excuses to avoid spending time with her, and yet he did so regardless. This kind of thing was rather foreign to Reinette, as she was used to men giving into her charms. If not right away, then at least after the first few attempts. But Cullen remained stalwart and kept things professional between them. Perhaps this was the kind of thing Good Men did, turn women they want away because....well, Reinette didn't really have an explanation for that. Regardless of the reason, it was getting rather tiresome.

Yet Reinette kept trying. There was something in her that wanted to keep perusing Cullen until he finally gave in. Reinette was eagerly awaiting that day.

The only problem, and this was a problem that kept Reinette awake at night, was that she didn't know why. She had wanted men before, but never to this degree.

No, that wasn't true. She  _had_ wanted a man like this before...

Reinette's fists clenched.  _'No.'_ She told herself firmly.  _'No. Never again.'_ Suddenly feeling light-headed, Reinette left the troops to their training and drills to return to her bed. A rest would do her some good. Yes, some rest.

Assuming of course, her heart would slow down to it's regular speed.

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback is always appreciated!


End file.
